Al Pastor Tacos Recipe

Prepare chiles

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a simmer. Remove stems and seeds from guajillo and ancho chiles, then add the chiles to the simmering water and soak 8–10 minutes until pliable. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid.

Make marinade

In a blender, combine soaked chiles, reserved soaking liquid (or pineapple juice), achiote paste, white vinegar, orange juice, garlic, roughly chopped white onion, oregano, cumin, ground cloves, black pepper and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Blend to a smooth paste. If mixture is very thick, add up to 2–3 tbs water or additional orange juice to help blend.

Marinate pork

Place the sliced pork shoulder in a large bowl or resealable bag. Pour the blended marinade over the pork and add 2 tbs vegetable oil. Massage the marinade into the meat ensuring each piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight (8–12 hours) for best flavor.

Bring to room temperature

Remove marinated pork from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to take off the chill; reserve any extra marinade.

Cook pork

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add 1 tbs vegetable oil. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add marinated pork slices in a single layer and sear, stirring occasionally, until edges are nicely charred and pork is cooked through — about 6–10 minutes per batch depending on thickness. Transfer cooked pork to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining pork, adding oil as needed.

Char pineapple

In the same hot skillet (or on a grill), add pineapple chunks and sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt. Sear pineapple until browned and slightly caramelized, about 2–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. If desired, chop larger caramelized chunks into smaller pieces for tacos.

Combine and warm

Return all cooked pork to the skillet and toss with any reserved marinade and pan fond for a minute to warm and glaze the meat. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.

Warm tortillas

Heat tortillas on a dry skillet or directly over a gas flame until pliable and lightly charred, about 20–30 seconds per side. Keep tortillas warm wrapped in a clean towel.

Assemble tacos

Divide the pork among the warm tortillas (about 1–2 oz pork per taco depending on size). Top each with a few caramelized pineapple chunks, a sprinkle of finely chopped white onion, and chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and salsa on the side.